Haunted and Hunted
by SaffronAngel
Summary: This is the sequel to Bring me to Life. Read on if you want to know more.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Nope. If you recognize the characters, they don't belong to me. Saban and Disney own the Power Rangers in all incarnations.

SUMMARY: This is the sequel to 'Bring me to Life'. So many have asked me about it that I decided to write it. Bear with me on this one please. I have no idea where this one might go.

* * *

It had been eighteen months since she had shown up on Billy and Trini's front porch nearly dead. The fact that the two had gotten married had surprised her.

They had taken her and her daughters in without question, taking her to the hospital when they saw what kind of shape she was in. Trini had taken care of the alerting the other Rangers and watching over the twins.

Tommy had come for her, sitting with her at the hospital and making a deal with Taryn to share guardian duties. He had won the girls over right off.

The gang had provided everything she and the girls needed in clothes and toys. They had saved her; especially when Trevor put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.

Trevor was in prison now. He would be there for a long time. The rape charges alone would keep him there for about 35 – 40 years.

Of course, she knew that wouldn't stop him. He still had guys willing to kill for him.

She knew that was part of the reason Brianna wouldn't even go outside without someone with her. She was reacting to her mother's fears. TJ did too, but in a different way. She had become even more protective of her sister and mother.

So it was that Kimberly Ann Oliver would spend hours locked alone in the house while Tommy and the girls were at school. She wouldn't even answer the door unless she knew who was on the other side.

This was the situation Michael Daniels discovered in Reefside when he arrived on Trevor Alexander's orders. He knew that Trevor wanted all four of them dead and he was determined to make his boss happy no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Nope. If you recognize the characters, they don't belong to me. Saban and Disney own the Power Rangers in all incarnations.

SUMMARY: This is the sequel to 'Bring me to Life'. So many have asked me about it that I decided to write it. Bear with me on this one please. I have no idea where this one might go.

* * *

"Thomas James Oliver, if you're not down here in the next five minutes, both you and the girls will be late for school!" Kim yelled up the stairs.

Tommy walked down the stairs to see his wife walking slowly toward the kitchen with one hand on her back. _'She's been so tired lately. And Bri's dreams haven't been helping. Maybe I should try a little harder to take care of her. She does so much for us and the doctor said that she was having problems.'_

'_Tommy, stop thinking so loudly. I do for you guys by choice. And while I have had a harder pregnancy this time than I did with the girls, I don't need to be babied.'_ Kim stopped in the doorway to the kitchen with a sudden indrawn breath.

Tommy ran to her side. "Kim? Are you okay?"

"Just Braxton-Hicks contractions. Some of them are pretty rough." Kim took a couple of deep breaths and smiled tiredly up at her husband. He always tried to take care of her. "I'll be fine. Honestly."

"Do you want me to stay home today? I'm sure Anton …"

"Anton and Elsa have been really understanding about this whole thing. I don't want them to start feeling as if I'm taking advantage of them. You go to work. I have the number if something happens. Besides, Dana and Carter are coming in today. Or did you forget that they said they'd be in about nine this morning. They want us to help them plan their wedding. Not to mention the fact that I know that Ryan's on duty with the medics and he promised to stay alert for our address to come across the radio."

"Are you sure?"

"Tommy, don't be like that. I'll be fine. I'll lock the door as soon as you guys leave and won't open it unless I know who's on the other side of it. Don't I always?"

"Yes, but-" Kim cut him off by turning to the girls.

"Do you girls have your lunches ready?"

"Yes, Mommy. We even made Daddy's lunch." TJ walked around the table and handed a sack lunch to Tommy.

"What did I get today?"

"S'mores sandwiches." Bri smiled brightly at her daddy as he tried to distract the girls.

"Cool. My favorite." Everyone laughed for a moment and Bri decided not to tell anyone about the feeling she had. She felt that something was going to go very wrong today while Mommy was alone in the house and she wouldn't be able to call for help.

"Time to go, everyone." Kim herded the three of them toward the front door and opened it for them. The minute everyone that needed to had gone outside, Kim shut and locked the door only to have Tommy test it the moment he heard it lock.

She lifted the curtain and watched as they got into the jeep, buckled up and left for school.

**

* * *

Two hours later**

The knock sounded at the door. Kim looked at it in fear for a moment. "Kimberly? It's Dana and Carter." She heaved a sigh of relief and pulled herself out of her chair with a bit of difficulty.

"Just a minute, guys," she yelled, knowing that it would take her a little bit to get to the door and they would break the door down if she didn't say anything.

She finally got to the door after what seemed to be hours of walking across the floor. She looked out the window in the door very carefully and upon seeing that her friends were the only ones out there, she smiled and opened the door for them.

"Come on in." Once the couple was inside the house, Kim shut and locked the door behind them. She looked out the window again as her friends waited for her to finish her little ritual. The petite woman gasped as she saw a face from her nightmares across the road from the house smiling. It was Michael. _'Oh God! How did he find me? We didn't tell anyone where we were moving to except the other Rangers.'_

"Kim, what's wrong?" Dana asked, putting an arm around Kim as she stepped back from the door.

"Michael's out there. He's found me." The whispers almost went unnoticed by the couple on either side of her.

"Get her set down, Dana." Carter stepped to the window just to the side of the door and lifted it just barely enough for him to see the road. No one was there. At least they weren't now. "Kim, I don't see anyone there. Whoever it was must have left."

"Michael found me and now Trevor will know exactly where we are." Kim looked like she was in shock.

"Carter, get a glass of water and a warm washcloth." He ran for the kitchen to do as he was told. Dana knew more about medicine than he did so never hesitated when she wanted him to do something to help people.

"Kim, look at me. Look at me." Dana didn't seem to be getting through to her so she played the one card she hated. "If you don't snap out of this right now, I'm calling Tommy and telling him to come home now."

Kim snapped her head around to look at Dana. "No! You can't do that!"

"Then, talk to me, Kim. What did you see out there?"

"It was Michael. He's one of Trevor's guys. He was one who had raped me several times." Kim hung her head. "Tommy saw the memory of one of those times. When Trevor gave me the scar on my cheek, he raped me twice and before he left, he told me that if I didn't start behaving, Trevor might give him my daughters." She looked up at Carter. "Oh god! What if he tries to get to the girls at school?"

"Kim, didn't you tell me that the way you and Tommy have things set up, anyone who wants to pick up the girls they have to have an ID and the school will have been notified of the change? And only people on the list will be able to get near the girls. They're usually kept in the office after school if Tommy's not there when it lets out." Carter had knelt down in front of the former Pink Ranger.

"I guess. I just –"

Dana put her hand up. "You're a mother and you're overprotective. I've seen it before." She smiled. "You're no different than any other mother that's escaped a bad situation."

"I just don't think we've actually escaped. Trevor has people that are still free and they're willing to do anything to make him happy." Kim blinked away the tears that were building up in her eyes. "And the dreams that Bri's been having haven't been helping matters much. She's been dreaming about Trevor's people finding us and killing us all. We've all been missing a lot of sleep lately."

"Relax, Kim. We're here now. We'll help out." Dana didn't like how tired Kim was looking. Tommy had said she was having problems with this pregnancy. "How have you been other than that?"

"My appetite's been good. Better than I expected. Although, I still get sick some mornings. My ankles both look like they have balloons inside them. My wrists are even swollen some days. I can't get comfortable and my emotions are on a rollercoaster that seems to have more lows than highs. Sound about right?" She smiled at Dana, knowing what the young woman had been getting at.

Carter took a moment while Kim's attention was focused on his fiancé to study the young woman. Her eyes were still fearful, wary. It was not something he liked to see. She was a beautiful woman who should always smile. "Why don't we watch a movie? Something sweet and sappy? I've heard about the number of chick flicks you've added to Tommy's collection since you got here," he teased.

Kim laughed, the laughter touching her eyes for just a moment before dying away again. "How about 'The Wedding Planner'? I made Tommy watch it just last night."

The three laughed at the thought of "The Greatest Ranger of All Time" watching that particular movie. Carter and Dana moved to the couch as Kim made herself as comfortable as possible while the movie started.

Before it was even halfway over, all three were sound asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Nope. If you recognize the characters, they don't belong to me. Saban and Disney own the Power Rangers in all incarnations.

SUMMARY: This is the sequel to 'Bring me to Life'. So many have asked me about it that I decided to write it. Bear with me on this one please. I have no idea where this one might go.

* * *

Carter opened his eyes. Something had awakened him and he wasn't sure what it was.

The movie was over and the menu screen was repeating itself on the television. Kim was asleep in the recliner. Dana was asleep curled against him. What woke him up?

Then, he saw the flames. They were licking at the front windows. He nudged Dana but she didn't wake up. He nudged her again. "Dana, wake up. The house is on fire."

Dana bolted upright on the couch. "What?" She looked toward the windows. "Oh my god!" She jumped off the couch and ran over to Kim. "Kimberly, wake up! Kim, wake up! We need to get out of here!" The smoke was starting to get into the house around the front door.

Kim sat up in the recliner. "Oh god! Dana, how are we going to get out of here?"

"You have to tell us, Kim. How can we get out without using either door?"

"The lair. We have go out through the lair." She dragged herself out of the chair with Dana's help. She noticed that Carter was on his cell phone.

"That's right. 1992 Valencia Road. The house is on fire." After a moment, he all but yelled into the phone. "Actually, I'm calling from inside the house. My fiancé and my friend's pregnant wife are here with me and I think we're pretty well trapped. You might want to get someone out here fast."

The smoke was starting to get thick in the living room. Kimberly started coughing and Dana took her arm and led her away from the outside walls. "Where's the entrance to the lair, Kimberly? You have to show us." Dana watched as Kimberly led the way into the kitchen and activated the secret entrance to what had once been the command center for the Dino Thunder Rangers.

"Carter, come on!" Kimberly yelled as she and Dana started down the steps. Carter followed them, closing the hatch behind him. They stumbled through the center and to the secret exit. Just outside the lair, Kim dropped to her knees still coughing and holding her very pregnant belly. She cried out and Carter and Dana dropped to their knees beside her.

"Kim, what is it?" Dana asked. "Is it a contraction?"

"I've been having them all day. I thought it was Braxton-Hicks but I guess it's not. They're getting more and more intense and I think they're coming more regularly." She was trying to breathe through the contraction but was having a hard time after inhaling the smoke.

"We need to get her up to the front yard. The medics should be coming soon. Which way, Kim?"

Kim just pointed as another contraction hit her hard. Carter and Dana each took a side and practically lifted the young woman to her feet and pulled her along between them.

Arriving in the front yard a short time later, Kim dropped to her knees and Carter stepped away as Ryan ran up and started talking to his sister and Kim. Ryan asked questions and Dana fired the answers back at him almost as fast.

"Carter, you might want to go get Tommy. We're taking Kim to the hospital. She's in labor." Dana's voice reached Carter through all the other noise around him. The fire trucks had arrived and orders were being shouted to the firemen trying to save the house.

Carter simply nodded and ran for his car. Once there, however, he didn't pull out until he watched the ambulance drive away with Kimberly, Dana and Ryan inside.

* * *

Pulling up at Reefside General, Dana was worried. The contractions were getting much closer together but Kim's water hadn't broken yet. There was a chance they'd have to take the babies C-section but Dana really hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

She went with Kim into the emergency room where they immediately started her on oxygen and an IV to attempt to slow the labor a little.

To make matters worse, Kim had been only barely coherent on the trip in to the hospital.

The doctor looked at the nurse. "We'd better prep her for an emergency C-section." Turning to Dana, he apologized. "You can't stay."

"I heard what you're doing and, until her husband gets here, I'm not leaving my friend's side. The fire was set deliberately as a murder attempt. I'm not letting her out of my sight. Besides, I can help. I'm a fully trained medic only months away from receiving my RN."

"You can't stay here." The doctor was adamant.

"And I said I'm not leaving. She has the right to have someone beside her. Who better than someone who's been through this sort of thing before?"

"And how do we know that you're telling the truth?"

"Would you like to talk to my father? I'm sure he'll be willing to verify everything I told you. I have his number in my cell phone."

"Who's your father?"

"Captain William Mitchell of the Lightspeed Rescue Aquabase. Still want the number?" Dana knew what the doctor's response would be to her claim. Her father was legendary amongst Rangers and civilians alike.

"The Captain William Mitchell?" The doctor looked shocked for a moment. He regained his composure fairly quickly. "Fine. You can stay. But the minute her husband gets here, you're out. And I would like to talk to your father later. I'd like to find out just what he thinks of the way you bandy his name around to get what you want."

"He thinks it's funny. Especially when self-righteous jerks like you try to call him tattling on me. Besides, Kim's like a daughter to him. He took a real liking to her when he first met her a year and a half ago."

The nurse walked up to Dana. "Who is her husband? That way I can let the front desk know to be expecting him."

"Dr. Thomas Oliver. He should be here shortly. I sent my boyfriend to get him from the school."

"Okay. I'll go let them know and start preparations for an emergency C-section." The nurse left the room and the doctor followed her shortly after.

"Hang in there, Kim. Tommy'll be here soon. I promise."

* * *

Carter Grayson walked into Reefside High School and looked around. "Can I help you?" came a voice from beside him.

Carter turned to the voice only to find the superintendent of schools, Dr. Anton Mercer, standing close by. "Actually, Dr. Mercer, I think you can. I need to find Dr. Oliver. His wife's in labor. She was driven into it early by a fire set at the house. She wasn't looking too good as they loaded her into the ambulance."

Anton didn't need to hear anymore. He knew what he needed to do. "Follow me, Mr. –"

"Grayson. Carter Grayson. I'm a friend of Tommy's."

The two of them stopped outside Tommy's classroom and Anton signaled for Carter to wait for a moment. Anton knocked and walked into the classroom. "Dr. Mercer. How can I help you?" Tommy asked.

"Dr. Oliver, please come out into the hallway for a moment." Anton didn't want this type of news broken to him in front of his class.

Tommy nodded and turned back to his class. "I'll just be out in the hallway. Behave until I return."

Stepping out into the hallway, Tommy was shocked to see Carter standing there with a dirty face that spoke volumes. It was Kimberly. Something had happened.

"Tommy, there was a fire at the house. We had to go out through the basement. Kim's labor and she wasn't doing too well when the ambulance arrived. Dana went with her to the hospital."

Tommy turned to Anton an expression of sheer panic on his face. "Go, Tommy. I'll cover your class. Your wife needs you." Tommy just shook his friend's hand and ran for the door. Stopping, he turned around.

"Carter, the girls…."

"Just make the call. I'll pick them up." Tommy nodded and turned back around, running as if Mesogog was chasing him.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim's in labor at the hospital and Dana's with her. Carter went to the high school and told Tommy who's on his way to the hospital after Carter promised to pick up the twins at school.

A/N: I know that this one hasn't been updated in a while but here it goes.

* * *

Dana sat next to Kimberly in the operating room. "You're going to be fine, Kimberly. Just relax. Everything's going to be alright."

As she stroked Kimberly's hair while talking to her friend, she was wondering where Tommy was.

* * *

Tommy called the elementary school on the way to the hospital to inform the office that Carter Grayson would be picking up the girls because he was on his way to the hospital.

Arriving at the hospital only moments later, Tommy was ushered into a room to put on the protective clothing he needed to enter the operating room.

Dana got up from where she sat when Tommy entered the room and prepared to leave. "You're not going anywhere just yet, Dana. Sit down."

"She can't stay," the doctor protested.

"Don't start. I said she's staying." Dana shrugged, noticing the look on Tommy's face and realizing that it would be a waste of breath to argue with him. She took up a seat on Kim's other side.

"Tommy, I don't want to cause any problems." At the doctor's snort, she corrected herself. "At least, I don't want to cause anymore problems."

"What do you mean?"

"I gave the doctor a hard time earlier because he wanted me to leave Kim alone. I refused. I know what she's been through. Not to mention the fact that I believe someone set that fire deliberately." Dana steeled herself to say the next part. "Kim said she saw one of Trevor's guys at the house this morning. Someone named Michael."

"That slimeball dares to show his face around here after what he did to Kimberly? He better hope he doesn't meet up with me. I'll teach him what it feels like to be beaten to a pulp."

'_Tommy?'_

'_What is it, beautiful?'_

'_Do me a favor and calm down. Your sons are picking up on it.'_

Tommy reached for his sons' minds and projected a feeling of well-being and protection. _'My sons. I love you so much. You understand that I'm just trying to protect your mommy.'_

Tommy felt himself grinning like an idiot. The snigger that came from Dana only confirmed the fact. "So what are their names?" she asked.

"Jason Thomas and Devon James." He got serious again. "Is she going to be okay, Dana?"

"I think so. But tell me something, is that Kim's regular doctor?"

"No. Has her doctor been called?"

"Not that I know of. Excuse me, doctor. Has Kim's regular doctor been informed of the situation?"

"Not yet. I was going to call him after we finished here."

"I insist he be informed immediately, before you proceed any farther." Dana was ready to knock this guy for a loop in order to protect her friend.

Tommy held out his cell phone to Dana. "Take my phone out in the hall and call him. The number's in my phone book. Dr. Kevin Christensen."

Tommy was watching Dana walk out of the room and didn't see the doctor turning a knob attached to the tank marked 'oxygen'.

A few moments later, Tommy noticed that Kim's thoughts were getting sluggish. _'Tommy, I can't breathe. What's he doing to me?'_

'_Relax, beautiful. Dana's calling Dr. Christensen now. Just try to stay calm. He's not going to do anything else until we get word from your doctor.'_

Tommy didn't know just how little oxygen was getting to Kim and the boys. He just knew that something was really really wrong. "Doctor, she's having trouble breathing. Is she getting enough oxygen?"

"She's getting plenty."

Just then, Dana walked back in handing the phone back to Tommy. "He's on his way." She noticed the look on Tommy's face. "What's wrong?"

"She's having a hard time breathing."

Dana walked over to check the monitors. "She's not getting enough oxygen." She walked over to the tank and turned the valve, allowing more oxygen to get to the young woman on the table.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked the doctor.

"Turning up the oxygen. She wasn't getting enough."

"What gives you the right to interfere with my patient?"

'_Are you breathing easier, sweetheart?'_

'_I am. Tell Dana thank you.'_

"Thank you, Dana. She seems to be breathing easier."

"No problem. And to answer your question, Dr. Christensen gave me the authority until he gets here."

'_Mr. Alexander isn't going to be happy if I don't get this taken care of.' _He reached out and picked up the scalpel laying on the tray. As he turned back, Tommy saw the glint of light from the blade.

"Stay away from her!" Tommy shouted as Dana stepped between the helpless Kimberly and the doctor.

"He's not going to touch her, Tommy. Just keep her calm for now." Dana was focused on the doctor. "Dr. Christensen was on his way here to make his rounds any way. He should be here any minute now."

As if on cue, Kevin Christensen breezed into the room from the scrub area. "Thanks, Terry. I'll take over now."

The other doctor shot Dana a look of pure contempt before lunging at her with the scalpel. He swung at the woman and drew blood before Tommy knew what was happening.

Before anyone else could react, Dana had kicked the man clear across the room. He lay still as Dana wrapped her arm and stepped up to help deliver the Oliver's new twins.

When another nurse came into the OR to help, Dr. Christensen sent her to help Terry who was still laying on the floor. She bent to help him only to find out that he had fallen on the scalpel, stabbing himself. For the next ten minutes, the nurse fought to keep the man alive, finally succeeding.

By the time she had taped his wound, two tiny voices were crying in unison. "Is Kim alright, Dr. Christensen?" Tommy asked as he held one of the two.

"Thanks to Dana, she'll be just fine. She's really tired right now and a good solid sleep will help immensely. I'm guessing the girls are going to try to help?"

"I know TJ plans to but I'm not sure about Bri." He chuckled. "Now we have TJ, JT and DJ. A family full of initials."

'_Daddy what about me?'_ came Bri's voice through the link.

'_You're my angel. My angel in pink.'_

'_Am I your angel in white?'_ came TJ's voice.

'_Of course you are, sweetheart. And Mommy is the most special angel of all because she gave me two gorgeous girls and two handsome boys.'_

'_I love you too, handsome,' _came Kim's sleepy voice. _'I love my whole family.'_

'_Sleep, beautiful. You're safe now.'_

'_What happened?'_

'_We'll talk about it later.' _He smiled as Kim drifted off into a deep sleep.

'_Is Mommy okay? She sounded so tired.'_

'_Having a baby is hard work. Having two really makes a mommy tired. She just needs some sleep and she'll be fine. I promise.'_

"The girls are worried about Kim, aren't they?" Dana asked.

"Yeah. I reassured them though." He looked at her arm. "You might want to get that fixed up. If the girls are here, you know that Carter is too."

"I'm sure he is. Did the guy live?"

The other nurse nodded as she started cleaning the wound on Dana's arm. "We almost lost him but he's alive."

"If he's working for Trevor, I'm sure he wishes he wasn't," Dana said.

"Dana, be nice," Tommy said almost reproachfully.

"I only spoke the truth, Tommy and you know it. He had to have been desperate to pick up that blade right in front of you."

"Unfortunately, I don't think this will be the last time we face an attempt on our lives like that. Trevor apparently has a longer reach than we thought."

"Tommy, maybe you could consider moving up to Mariner Bay?" Dana ventured. She and Carter had discussed the idea before and even broached the subject to Kim. "At least there, during the day anyhow, she could be at the aquabase where Trevor's goons would have a really hard time getting to her." Dana smiled. "Besides, Dad wants to see Kim and her new babies."

"School lets out soon. Kim and I'll discuss it. We might just come up there for the summer at least."

Tommy realized that he had to do something before Trevor actually succeeded in killing Kimberly or the children. He didn't think he could survive losing her again.


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine.

SUMMARY: Kim has survived yet another attempt on her life as well as that of her unborn twins. What is Tommy going to do to try to protect his family?

A/N: I know that this one hasn't been updated in a while but here it goes.

* * *

Tommy sat beside Kim's bed as she slept peacefully. The girls had been in to see their mother. Bri had taken Kim's hand and kissed it. TJ had simply kept a hand on her sister's shoulder. They were both behaving so well.

Carter had definitely been upset that Dana had been hurt but glad that the first Pink Ranger hadn't been. He and Dana had taken the girls back to the house to see what kind of damage had been done.

The phone call that Tommy had gotten just an hour later was reassuring. Most of the damage that had been done had been cosmetic. The paint on the house had been ruined but at least it was still standing. Several windows had been broken by the force from the hoses. Tommy had shrugged that off. Windows could be replaced; his family couldn't.

"I love you, beautiful," he whispered, leaning over to kiss her forehead.

"Tommy?" Her sleepy whisper was music to his ears.

"I'm right here, Kim."

"Where are the kids?"

"JT and DJ are in the nursery and Dana and Carter took the girls home to start cleaning up the damage to the house. They called a little while ago and filled me in. Most of the damage is cosmetic. We lost some windows and the paint's ruined but we can fix that. I'm just glad that no one was hurt more seriously than Dana's arm."

"What happened?"

"Come to find out the doctor that was on duty when you came in was working for Trevor. He tried to suffocate you and the boys. When that didn't work, thanks to Dana, he was going to stab you or something with the scalpel. Dana stepped in the way and he cut her arm. She kicked him across the room and he landed on the scalpel. They managed to save him but I'm sure right now he's wishing that they hadn't even bothered."

Kimberly lay quietly for a few minutes after that revelation. "Tommy?"

"Yes?"

"Dana and Carter want us to come to Mariner Bay for a while. They figure that they can help keep us safe there at the base. Besides, Captain Mitchell wants to see me and the twins. What do you think?"

"The school year ends in a week. What say we go up for the summer? We'll see what happens after that."

"Sounds good to me. I'm sure the girls will love spending a good portion of the summer underwater. I never could keep them out of the pool."

Tommy smiled. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see the underwater base."

"They'll love it. They love anything to do with being in the water." Kim giggled. "But how do a Crane and a Falcon survive underwater?"

"Very carefully. Very very carefully. I love you, Kimberly Ann Oliver." Tommy leaned over her and kissed her lips.

"And I love you, Tiger."

* * *

A week later, Kimberly and the twins were released from the hospital and Tommy and the girls picked them up for the trip to Mariner Bay.

Captain Mitchell had already set them up with quarters on base. It would be easy for them to get in and out of the base. Anyone without clearance though would have a much harder time. And the captain had made sure that everyone on base was loyal to him and him alone.

"Kimberly!" Dana called as the family walked into the command center of the base. Kim smiled and went to her friend. "Dad has everything set up for you. You have rooms in the same area of the base as the Ranger instructors. Only a few people that Dad trusts absolutely have access to that wing for the sake of cleaning the rooms. Everyone on base has been ordered not to allow anyone without badges to enter the base without proper clearance from Dad and Dad only. Any suspicious activity is to be reported to Dad directly immediately."

"All of this for us?" Kimberly started laughing. She turned to Captain Mitchell and smiled as he came over to hug her. "Captain." She felt at home being this close to friends that she knew without a doubt would do anything to protect her and her children.

"I'm so glad to see you're okay, Kimberly. I was worried when Dana called and told me about what had happened." The captain turned to Bri and TJ. "Hello, girls. How are you doing with having two little brothers? Are you both helping your mom?"

"Yes, sir. We take turns helping to feed them and Mom even lets us change a diaper once in a while," TJ said, standing proudly.

"When we can get Daddy to back off," Bri said, shocking her mother.

"Brianna Dallys!" Kim was shocked as she looked at her daughter. "You apologize to Daddy right now."

"Kim, she's right. I do tend to monopolize the boys." Tommy was laughing as he came up behind Kim with the stroller holding the two newest members of the family. "I was wondering when that famous Kim Hart attitude was going to make an appearance in her."

"Tommy, that's no excuse for her to say things like that." Kim looked around exasperated. She saw that most everyone was laughing at the little girl's comments.

Bri, however, looked stricken. Her mother had just seriously scolded her. She turned and ran out of the room, tears blinding her to which direction she was going.

"Bri! Bri, stop!" Kim ran to the door and yelled after her daughter.

Dana stepped up and put her hand on Kim's shoulder. "Kim, give her a chance to calm down. I'll bet this is the first time that you've actually scolded either of the girls."

"It is. And I shouldn't have been so harsh with her, but she could have been a little nicer."

"Sweetheart, don't worry so much. I was just waiting for something like this to happen." Tommy pulled his wife into his gentle embrace. "You aren't always going to be able to coddle the girls. Eventually, you would have had to yell at one of them. I'm just surprised that it wasn't TJ. She's been displaying more of your attitude than Bri does."

"Maybe that's why I reacted the way I did. I would have been expecting something like that out of TJ but not Bri. She's always been so quiet and reserved." Kim buried her head against Tommy's shoulder.

'_Bri, Mommy's crying. Come back, sweetie.'_

'_She yelled at me, Daddy.'_ The tears in his daughter's mind tore at Tommy's heart and made Kim cry even harder.

'_Come back, honey. We'll have a talk and everything will be fine.'_

'_I can't.'_

'_Why not?'_ Tommy heard a note of fear inject itself into his little girl's thoughts.

'_I don't know where I am, Daddy. I don't know how I got here. Daddy, I'm lost.'_

Kim's head came up from Tommy's shoulder at the words. "She's lost? She couldn't have gotten far. She hasn't been gone that long."

"Okay, everyone, we're looking for a little girl. You all saw her and her twin is here in the control room. We need to find this little one quickly. She's not sure where she is but she's scared and needs our help."

The captain's words spurred everyone in the room to action. Chad, Carter, Joel, and Kelsey all ran out of the room as Tommy moved Kim to one of the benches in the Command Center and left her with Dana as he went to try to help find his daughter.

* * *

Chad Lee was walking down a hallway in a little used part of the aquabase when he heard sniffles from one of the empty rooms. He pushed open the door and looked around the room. He saw the caramel colored locks that matched the other little girl in the Command Center. She was sitting on a bench by the window looking out into the ocean.

"Hi," he called softly, not wanting to scare the girl. She started, spinning on the bench to look at him.

"Who are you?" she asked in a quavering voice.

"It's okay. My name's Chad. I was the Blue Lightspeed Ranger. You must be Brianna."

"How do you know?"

"Your mom and dad sent out a bunch of us to help find you. You must have run fast; you're a long way from the Command Center."

"Mommy never yells at us." Bri's lower lip started trembling. Chad had to act quickly to keep her from crying. He was a big softie when it came to little girls crying. He'd always knuckled under when his little sister started the waterworks.

Suddenly, there was a face at the window that Chad recognized. Of course, Marina would show up. She was empathic; she would have felt the little one's fear. He smiled at his friend.

"Brianna, look behind you." Bri turned back to the window to see the mermaid at the window.

"She's beautiful," the little girl breathed, awestruck. She put a hand to the glass and Marina mirrored the image, placing her hand exactly over the smaller one. "She knows what I'm feeling."

Marina nodded. Chad came up behind Bri and then sat down next to her. "Her name is Marina. If you like, after we get your family settled in, maybe I can introduce you to her face to face? Would you like that?"

"Only if we bring TJ too. She would love to meet a real mermaid."

"Ok. But first we need to get you back to your family. Want a piggy back ride?" He turned around and she climbed onto his back and laced her hands together around his neck. He settled her firmly on his back and turned to Marina. "Thank you," he mouthed.

She just smiled and nodded. Chad left the room to take Bri back to her mother.


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. Just borrowing for a little while.

SUMMARY: Tommy, Kim and their four children are at the aquabase. Brianna has run off because Kim actually scolded her. Chad found her and is bringing her back to Kim at the Command Center.

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I updated this one. I'm having problems with my muse again. He doesn't seem to want me to write. I keep trying though and hopefully I can get a couple of chapters out. Hopefully he'll come back soon and get me moving again.

* * *

Chad walked into the Command Center with Brianna holding on to his neck from her perch on his back. Her grip had been getting steadily tighter as they approached the room where her mother was waiting for her.

However, once she saw Kim, before he could get a hold of her and lower her down, she let go of his neck and all but threw herself backwards, flipping to her feet in mid-air. She ran to her tearful mother and threw her arms around her neck, crying and apologizing profusely.

"Mommy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

"It's okay, baby. It's okay. I'm just glad you're safe." She looked up at Chad. "Thank you."

TJ climbed up beside her mother, tears welling in her chocolate brown eyes as well. _'Bri, are you okay?'_

'_I'm okay. Later, Chad promised to introduce us to a real mermaid later.'_

"Chad," Kim said. "Did you really promise to introduce my daughters to a mermaid?"

"Mommy, I saw her!" Bri exclaimed. "She's real! She is!"

"Her name's Marina. She's an old friend and I think the girls could have a lot of fun with her." Chad was trying to explain. He really didn't want Kim to be angry with him.

"Kimberly, it's okay. I know Marina myself. And I know that the girls will love her and she'll adore them. Besides her father won't let anything happen to the girls when they're with her." Bill Mitchell wasn't going to let Kim worry needlessly.

"Who's her father?" Kim asked as Tommy walked back into the Command Center.

"King Neptune. He's even helped us out a few times." Captain Mitchell was quick to reassure the young woman. "He's very protective of his daughter and, by extension, any of her friends that come to visit."

"I guess it would be okay." Kim sounded a little unsure yet and Kelsey thought of the one thing that would help.

"Captain Mitchell, maybe Marina and her father could come up to the pool and meet with Kimberly and Tommy. It might help ease their fears a little."

"Mommy? Please. I saw her. You'll like her. She's – she's an empath. Is that the word?"

"Do you mean she can sense emotions?" Bri nodded. "Then, yes, honey, that's the right word. Very good." Kim wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her tight. "Don't think this gets you off the hook though. I'm still upset with you."

"Mommy, I love you. I can't help it that I have to speak the truth. It hurts me to lie."

"What do you mean it hurts you?"

"It makes me sick. Usually I don't lie because it makes me so sick."

"How did you find out about this?"

"When we were with the nanny, she asked us if we were afraid of Trevor. I told her no but just a little while later I was sick. I was throwing up and hot."

"When she told the truth, that Trevor scared her a lot, she felt better almost right away." TJ knew that her mother needed to know this, especially if she expected Bri to ever not speak the truth.

"Does the same thing happen when you simply don't say anything?" Tommy asked.

"No. I just feel bad about not answering a question or saying something when people want me to." She looked up at her mother. "It happens a lot in school. Some kids want me to lie to others and I won't say a word."

Carter chose to speak up then. "When I went to pick them up at school, Bri was in the nurse's office. Apparently, she had told the teacher that everything was fine at home instead of telling her about the nightmares that had been keeping everyone awake. TJ was right there with her insisting that she couldn't leave her sister alone." Carter caught the look that Tommy shot him. "I figured you guys had enough to deal with without hearing about this just then. Then, I found out about Dana's injury and it totally slipped my mind."

"Man, you need to remember to tell us these things. You have to remember that there's a lot we don't know about the girls." Tommy was always worried that someone would be able to get to the girls because of something that he didn't know about. This would be the type of opening Trevor would need to get his hands on the girls.

"I tell you what. Let me meet with King Neptune and Marina and then we'll see about letting you two go with her for a little while at a time." Kim wanted to remove attention from Tommy long enough for him to calm down. She knew what was going through his mind. His emotions were too raw for her not to be able to read him. Of course, that meant that the girls were picking up on it and so were the boys.

"Four beautiful children, my friends. Two of the air and two of the sea." Tommy and Kim both stood up at the sound of a voice that neither had heard in a very long time.

"Dulcea!" they both exclaimed.


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: Duh. Of course they're not mine.

A/N: I know that it's been forever since I've updated this one. The muse has been kind of picky lately. I'm trying though.

* * *

"You're here!" Tommy breathed in amazement. The Master Warrior nodded.

"My image only, mighty Falcon. You have beautiful children. I knew that you and your Crane would make beautiful children."

"What do you mean two of the air and two of the water?" Kim was curious. She'd always known that the girls were almost more at home in the water than on land.

"Your daughters are protected by water creatures. Taryn's Ninjetti creature is the shark. Always ready to fight to defend. Brianna is the Orca, noble and true. Both are powerful animals and your daughters will be very powerful when they learn to call on the nature of their animals. But the boys will not be any less powerful. The hawk, graceful and strong, protects Jason. Devon is claimed by the Eagle, noble and true."

"How is it that their Ninjetti spirits have already made themselves known to you?"

"Mighty Falcon, Ninjetti spirits claim those they will from their birth. Have you not wondered why the girls are so at home in the water?"

Kimberly nodded. "I have wondered why my girls love the water so much when my spirit is an air creature. I had no idea, though, that they had already been claimed by the Ninjetti spirits."

"Gentle Crane, you have always been the one to feel before thinking and to react to those emotions. Not a fault as much as you would believe it to be. It is the emotions that drove you to run with your precious daughters to the protection of your Falcon. You have been so strong for so long. Now you have many to protect you and yet you don't want to lean on them."

"I –I –"

"Kimberly, don't. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Captain Mitchell stepped forward. "You have only done what you had to in order to survive."

"William Mitchell of Lightspeed Rescue. Also a Ninjetti shark. The Crane and Falcon have a powerful ally in you." Dulcea nodded to the man who was attempting to protect the couple and their family.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Taryn share a spirit. Both of you are fierce and protective of those you claim as your own. However, the young Taryn is not as complicated. She is very direct about these things. She has not learned the ways of subtlety that you have. She has yet to learn the fact that the direct path is not always the best one." Dulcea smiled down at the young girl who had moved to stand before her holding her twin sister's hand.

"Who are you?" Taryn asked.

"Taryn, do you remember when I told you about the time when we all got our Ninjetti abilities?" When her daughter nodded, Kimberly continued. "This is Dulcea. She's the one who helped us to find our spirit animals. She started us on the journey to claim our Ninjetti powers."

Taryn turned back to the warrior. "Then, thank you. You helped my mother to be strong enough to break free of Trevor." Letting go of hands, the twins gave Dulcea the traditional bow.

"The two of you have truly done your parents proud. I foresee great things from the two of you as well as your brothers." She stood still for a moment. "I must go. You are safe here. Stay as long as you can."

When Dulcea vanished, Tommy wrapped an arm around his wife and placed the other on Taryn's shoulder while Kim rested her free arm on Bri's. "Kimberly, we're glad you're here and you are more than welcome to stay as long as you need to," Captain Mitchell said smiling.

Just a few short moments later, Dana was escorting her friends down to their quarters.

****

"It's pretty comfortable here, isn't it, beautiful?"

"No kidding, handsome. I'm glad we came. I feel so very safe here. As if there's no way in the world that Trevor can get to us here." The two of them were walking along the empty hallways as their four children took a nap. Dana and Carter were watching the children to give the couple a little time to themselves.

"He can't reach us here, beautiful. Captain Mitchell has made sure of that." Tommy pulled his wife closer and kissed the top of her head. "We are safe here. So long as we don't do anything stupid."

Kim stopped walking and turned in his embrace. "Tommy, will we ever be completely safe from him? He's got so many people that could get to us."

She shook in his warm embrace. "Kim, he's not going to get us here. We ARE safe. And no matter what else happens, I'm here and I will protect you and our children."

Kim leaned into the man who was so fierce in his protection of her and yet so gentle in the way he touched her. "I love you, Tommy. I'm just still so scared."

"And that will be for a long time to come. Trevor left a mark on you that can't be erased easily. There is no easy way to get over what he did to you."

"But –"

"No buts. Beautiful, I don't expect you to get over it that easily. I'm here and I'm a very patient man. I've had to be, dealing with high school students." At that, Tommy chuckled. "Especially four specific students. But I love you and I can be very patient."

Kim just ducked her head for a moment. "I know. And I wish I didn't have to ask you to be so patient with me."

'_Beautiful, I will be whatever you need me to be.'_

'_I know that, Tommy. I just wish that I was stronger.'_ Tommy stopped and turned to his wife and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Kim, our friends will be here to help us. That's all part of being friends. When you need extra strength, your friends provide that until you find it within yourself. That's what friends do for each other."

"It's been so long."

"So long without your friends there to help you. Lean on us. Let us help you find the strength you need. Don't shut anyone out that wants to help you. You spent ten years in that hellhole. You can't expect to be away from it for less than two years and be over it."

"Tommy, I have to get over it. For myself, you and our children. They deserve a mother who isn't distracted by a glint from a car or seeing someone look at them and wonder if they're hunting you." Kimberly pulled away from Tommy, not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes or the fear that was gathering there.

"Kim, don't do this to yourself. Don't do this to me or our children."

"I'm sorry. I just want this whole thing over. Completely over. I want to be able to live without always looking over my shoulder to see if someone's there. I want to be able to take my kids to the park and not have to keep them close. I want to be able to go to the store by myself without having to wonder if you're going to realize how long I've been gone." She lifted her eyes to her husband. "I want us to be able to live like a regular family. I'm tired of running."

"Then let's make the stand here. We have a safe place for the kids and we have friends to help us with the stand." He wrapped her tightly in his arms again. "We don't run anymore. We're going to make him realize that we aren't cowards. We don't run from a fight. If that's what he wants, that's what he gets." Tommy pressed his lips to the top of her head.


End file.
